Route of ascent and descent: Approached and left along the path through the peat-hags which connects the summit with the stile at NY435140. This is the only right of way on the fell. It is recommended that walkers do not try to reach the summit from valley level, in order to avoid disturbing the deer whose fell this is. Afterwards, went on to Brock Crags.

The Nab viewed ‘from the back’, that is, the peat hags.

What Mr Wainwright says (from page 1 of his chapter): “The Nab is situated wholly within the Martindale Deer Forest. The boundaries of the Forest are principally defined by the ‘Forest Wall’, which encloses much of the Rampsgill and Bannerdale valleys and crosses the high ground between. This ground does not confine the deer – they roam freely beyond the boundaries – but it marks their home, their only safe refuge, their one sanctuary. Please do not intrude.”

What I say: The main thing that worried me about reaching the Nab was not the prospect of coming face to face with some rampant stag, but the peat bog which is obvious from Wainwright’s maps and from a simple visual survey of the half-mile-wide depression which sits between The Nab and Rest Dodd. This was particularly true bearing in mind I knew that the bog had to be negotiated twice. But actually it’s not that bad.

Martindale and The Nab, from Hallin Fell. Picture taken on walk 32.

However, the fact you can’t climb the Nab from valley level means you do really only see its dullest side. It’s a shame, because from some directions the Nab has a perfection of mountain form only really rivalled in the district by Catstycam. It’s a lovely, cute, child’s drawing of a mountain, as this picture makes clear. And it has deer, too. Maybe this is one of those fells better looked at than visited.